The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are about to kick off and among the disciplines that will return to the five-circle program is the baseball, absent from Beijing 2008, but strongly supported by the Japanese organization, with the Japan which is one of the most serious candidates for ultimate success.
A necessary reinstatement, for one of the most popular sports in Asia and America, but which in Tokyo will not see many of the best players on the planet on the pitch. There Major League statunitense in fact it will not observe any pause and will continue the regular season for the entire Olympic period, keeping all its players busy and limiting the American national teams very much.
United States, Mexico and Dominican Republic they will therefore arrive at the five-circle review with many defections, and also Israel should have some problems not just in deploying the best talents available, many of these naturalized in the last World Baseball Classic 2017.
Those who can gain from these absences are the Asians, South Korea and Japan, with the hosts who moved early to be very competitive. The NPB championship, the Japanese top flight and behind only the MLB in terms of level, will in fact stop on July 14, to then resume on August 13, after a one-month Olympic break where the best Japanese players will defend the colors of their country. . A smart move, to gain an advantage (perhaps decisive) over the other five.
Photo: LaPresse
